


see, i can't sleep, there're monsters under my bed

by tony_stank616



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Clintasha- freeform, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamory, Steve and Bucky are Good Boyfriends, fury's annoying, pepper annoys tony into sleeping, steve and bucky need to hurry the fuck up and get home, stucky- freeform, tony needs to sleep dammit tony, we love FRIDAY
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-29
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-18 11:54:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17580341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tony_stank616/pseuds/tony_stank616
Summary: “Sir, Ms. Potts told me to make sure you sleep.”“Nah, don’t worry FRIDAY, I’ll sleep.”“But boss, she was very clear. Used protocol God is a Woman.”"Override code Fuck Off.""She disabled override code Fuck Off.""Goddamn it Pepper."





	1. God is a Woman

**Author's Note:**

> so i should probably update other fics but instead i wrote this one. the second part is gonna be angsty whoop. until i write it tho, this chapter is moderately fluffy.

Tony was sulking. Not for any good reason, just that Steve and Bucky were out on a mission, sent directly from Fury, and he was stuck at the tower. Sure, everyone else was there, Natasha and Clint were in the kitchen, with Hope trying to teach them to cook, and Scott trying to get Hope to let him try the food. Bruce was down in the lab working on trying to replicate the super soldier serum that made Steve big, strong, and annoyingly hot, in Tony’s opinion. The serum that Bucky had received was deemed unsolvable for the moment, as the only source of it was in Bucky, and he still didn’t do to great with needles. Tony was pretty sure Thor was still vaguely in the area of Norway, helping set up a new home for the displaced Asgardians. 

Needless to say, it’s not like Tony was alone, it’s just his two favorite people weren’t there, and he was kinda pissed about that. They were due back in a week, there had been reports of a HYDRA base located deep in Russia, and since Bucky knew HYDRA, and Russian, and Steve had lots of experience in HYDRA bunkers, they were deemed the two best people to go. 

It was close to three in the morning when Tony decided, and by decided, he meant forcefully told, to try and go to sleep, after spending five straight days in an “engineering binge”. Pepper was the one to drag him out of the workshop( “You need sleep Tony.” “And I want to keep working.” “And do we all get what we want? No.”), and she pretty much threw him into the room he shared with Steve and Bucky, on strict orders to shower, and go to bed. He had showered, and gotten into the bed, with the intentions, of going to sleep, but instead pulling out his StarkPad, and continuing to work on a design idea he had for Rhodey’s leg braces.

“Sir, Ms. Potts told me to make sure you sleep.”

“Nah, don’t worry FRIDAY, I’ll sleep.”

“But boss, she was very clear. Used protocol God is a Woman.”

“Fuck. I knew I shouldn’t have given her that protocol.” God is a Woman Protocol was basically a protocol that Tony had given Pepper, that gave her complete control of FRIDAY, and by default, the tower. He had intended for it to be used for emergencies, not making sure he slept.

“Override protocol Fuck Off.”

“Sorry boss, she disabled all override codes until you get at least fifteen hours of sleep.”

“Pepper, I’m gonna murder you.”

“I was told to turn off all WiFi to your room.”

“She did not, that evil woman.”

“Letting in a call from Ms. Potts.”

Pepper’s voice filled the room. “Tony, go the fuck to sleep. I’m turning off the WiFi, and so help me you will go to bed, or you’ll be the one to tell Fury why Iron Man can’t fight for the next week and a half, after I’m done with you.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“I mean it Tony. FRIDAY, WiFi off.”

“Of course.”

“Traitor.”

“Bed. Now.”

“I’m going, I’m going. FRIDAY, end call.”

FRIDAY terminated the call, and without WiFi, the current program he was working on wouldn’t work fast enough for him, so there was no point.

Tony turned off the light, rolled over, and tried to fall asleep.

 

“Hey! You’re back early!” Steve and Bucky walked into the kitchen, looking exhausted. 

“Yeah, the base wasn’t well protected, so it went really fast. We’ve been up for like three days though, Fury wanted a stakeout, and I might kill him for it.” Steve leaned against the counter, and Bucky fell back on his shoulder.

“Is Tony awake, or did Pepper make him sleep?” Bucky glanced at the clock, it was seven AM. 

“Asleep, he’s been up for five days, and Pepper made him go to bed around three.” Sam, who was eating breakfast, snorted. 

“She actually used God Is a Woman Protocol, and apparently Tony was pretty pissed.”

“Bet he was.” Steve glanced down at Bucky, who was almost asleep. “I’m going up to our room, probably sleep. Buck, you coming?”

“Hm? Oh, yeah.”

Steve and Bucky got in the elevator, hit the button for their floor, and sagged against the wall.

“Remind me never to do that again.”

“Next time Nat’s going.”

They walked out of the elevator, into their room, and stopped, trying to be as quiet as possible. Tony was curled in the middle of the bed, all the blankets in an almost nest around him.

“Try not to wake him up.”

“Wasn’t planning on it, Stevie.”

Steve changed into sweatpants, and a t-shirt, and Bucky into shorts, and one of Steve’s huge sweatshirts. They both climbed into the bed, Steve on Tony’s right, and Bucky on Tony’s left, and fell asleep.

 

Tony woke up gasping, shooting up in bed, and into the bathroom before he could register that yes, people were in his bed, and yes, they were Steve and Bucky.

“Not real, not real, not real.” Tony rocked back and forth, pushed into a corner by the tub. “He can’t get me, not again.”

 

Bucky woke up this time, jostled awake by Tony’s abrupt leaving, heard his hyperventillating breaths in the bathroom, and shook Steve awake.

“Steve. Get up.”

“Mmm, ten more minutes.” Anyone who said Steve was a morning person was a damn liar. 

“Tony’s in trouble Steve. Get the fuck up before I find Nat.”

“I’m up!” Steve turned to Bucky. “What’s going on.”

Bucky nodded at the bathroom. “Something’s wrong with Tony.”

“Let’s go.” Steve slipped out of bed, Bucky right after him. Entering the bathroom, Steve crossed immediately to Tony. 

“Hey doll. Can you lift up your head for me?” Steve slid down the wall next to Tony.

Tony flinched, and shifted his head just enough so they could see red, tear stained eyes.

“Steve? Bucky?”

“It’s us sweetheart.” Bucky crouched down next to Tony.

“You-you were gone. Left me.”

“We would never never leave you Tony.”

“But you did!” Tony’s voice was rising, almost hysterical. “You were gone, I was never going to see you again!”

Steve and Bucky looked at each other, Steve’s throat tightening, and Bucky blinking away tears.

“Listen to me doll. We’re here, now. Not in that dreamworld. It’s us Tony, and we promise we’re never going to leave you.”

Tony hiccuped, and curled farther into the warmth of his two super soldiers, who picked him up, and carried him back to their bed. Steve tucked Tony under the covers, and slipped under the covers next to him, tucking his arm around Tony. Bucky grabbed an extra blanket, wrapped it around Tony, and slid into the other side of Tony, putting his arm over him.

“You’re safe, doll.”

“We’re here.”


	2. Ultron and JARVIS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’ve got to be shitting me.”
> 
> “Steve, call Sam. Now. I’m calling Rhodes, no idea where he is though.” 
> 
> “Mr. Stark? Is that what I think it is?”
> 
> “Yeah kid, that’s Ultron.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> amazing what one can accomplish when procrastinating work
> 
>  
> 
> also idk how to feel about this chapter. if you feel like it, leave a comment with some ideas where this could go, i'm not sure how i want it to end yet.

“Steve, your left!” 

“Thanks Tones.”

“You can thank me later. In person.”

“Hey!” Clint’s indignant voice came over the comms. “Can we please keep the innuendos to a minimum, as we’re literally fighting some fucking robots. Please and thank you.”

“Aww, did we offend birdbrain over there?”

“Fuck you Bucky.”

“Check.”

“Steve! Did Captain America just make a sexual reference?” Natasha smirked as she ran by, jumped onto the nearest robot, slapped a detonator Tony had made on it, and flipped off.

“Showoff.”

“Are we almost done? I’m hungry.”

“Nah, we’ve still got some more near the park.”

“Of course. It’s always Central goddamn Park.”

“Hey Mr. Stark!”

“Kid, what are you doing here.”

“School let us go. Deemed it to dangerous.”

“Go find May, she’ll be worried.”

“KAREN called her.”

“Jesus Christ, fine then. Go help the wizard.”

“Screw you, I’m not a wizard.”

“Stephen, you literally are using magic. You’re a wizard.”

“You’re a wizard.”

“Definitely.”

“Totally a wizard.”

“Yeah, you’re a wizard.”

“Wizard.”

“I agree with Mr. Stark.”

“Fuck you all.” Stephen looked at Peter, and groaned. “I mean you’re all jerks.” 

“To late.”

“Now are we done?”

“Clint, holy crap, we know you’re hungry. Did you clear the park?” 

“Done.”

“Stephen, how’s your end?” 

“Gimme a second...Done.”

“Great, Nat and Steve, how’re you doing.” 

“Our streets are clear, making our way up.”

“Bucky and Vision?”

“Hang on...Okay, good.”

“Great. Then can everyone meet back at the tower...Oh holy fuck no.”

“What? Tony?” 

“Calm down Cap, it’s just. Well. Change of plans, have FRIDAY direct you all to my location.”

“Are you hurt?”

“Buck, I’m fine. We’ve just, well, um.”

“Spit it out-Oh shit.” Natasha and Steve had made it to Tony, and all three of them were now staring down a painfully familiar face. 

“You’ve got to be shitting me.”

“Steve, call Sam. Now. I’m calling Rhodes, no idea where he is though.” 

“Mr. Stark? Is that what I think it is?”

“Yeah kid, that’s Ultron.”

“Tony,” Stephen’s exasperated voice filled the air. “I though Ultron was, um, dead may not be the right word, but dead.”

“He was. One of his bodies must have survived. Much bigger than he used to be too.”

“Well, shit.”

“Language!”

“Peter, language. My god, shame on you.” 

“One time, I swear.”

“Hey guys, oh fuck no.”

“Welcome to our house of horrors. Sam, you came quick.”

“I was in the city already.”

“Tony?”

“Oh thank fuck, hey Rhodes.”

“Come on man, I thought it was dead. And this was my weekend off, what the hell.”

“We deemed this necessary.”

“Fine. Let’s kill it.”

“So, is no one going to fight this dude who’s currently, ho-ly shit that’s my school. Right, I’m gonna fight, anyone care to join?”

“Yeah, might as well.”

“Peter, no, stop, hang on! We don’t know what the weapons systems are!”

“Avengers.” Ultron’s booming voice, still sounding creepily like JARVIS, called to them.

“Why are you here?” Steve stepped up, and grabbed the back of Peter’s suit, so he couldn’t swing at the giant robot currently occupying the street. 

“You may know them.”

Tony sighed, and glanced at Bucky, who rolled his eyes back at him. 

“Lemme guess.” Tony poked at the comms unit on his wrist, transmitting a message to Pepper. One that was pre-written, and basically said that no, the property damage wasn’t his fault, and no, he probably wasn’t hurt. “Either HYDRA, which I’m gonna be pissed if it is, or some branch of Loki’s web, which I’m gonna be super pissed if it is, cause Thor said he was under mind control, but I may murder him if not.” Turning off his mic, he spoke directly to FRIDAY. “And FRI, do me a favor, and do a quick scan of the body? See what you can find.”

“Right away.”

“HYDRA found the remains of my body, the one that the Vision had almost completely destroyed.”

“Vision?” Tony turned to his left.

“In my defense, there was no readings on the scans when I thought I killed him.”

“I’ll look into that later.”

Muting the mic again, Tony looked at the readings. 

“FRIDAY, you’ve got to be shitting me.”

“I’m afraid not.”

There were multiple short and long range missiles, some solid guns, and-

“FRIDAY, I need you to confirm two things. One, is that missile what I think it is, and two, closer scans on the AI capabilities. Now.”

“Okay boss, good news and bad news.”

“Bad news first.”

“The missile has a nuclear warhead.”

“Fuck me.”

“But the good news is that if we can safely take Ultron down, the AI’s that are currently forming Ultron’s mind can be separated, neutralized, and used for our purposes.” 

“Are you saying?”

“JARVIS can be saved.”

“Oh my god.”

“I know sir.”

“Alright, than we need to get this thing, or at least the missile out of this atmosphere, or maybe to Fury. How volatile is the missile, and can we get it off it?”

“Could be better. Meaning, if we hit the casing, it will explode. But, it is detachable. I believe your current suit and Peter’s Iron Spider suit could do it, but Ultron cannot know, or there is a locking mechanism, that I assume he will engage.”

“Fuck. Is there a safe way to dispose of the missile?”

“Fury has holding facilities, and James Rhodes may know exact locations. I can hack through the defenses, but it would take about ten minutes that we don’t have.”

Tony turned the comms back on. 

“Rhodey, I need to ask you, and I’ll explain why in thirty seconds, but do you know where Fury’s nuclear silos are. They’re capable of disarming a nuclear warhead, and we kinda need that right now.”

“Yes, but why the hell-”

“Ultron has a nuclear warhead equipped missile. Me and Peter, and kid, cause I know you’re listening, I really hate this option, but it’s us that can get the missile off it. We need Rhodey’s suit to distract it, and everyone else to make sure it doesn’t notice us flying away.”

“I can fly?!” 

“Yes Pete, you could fly. It’s more efficient with the Iron Spider suit, so if you wouldn’t mind activating that.”

“KAREN did it.”

“Great. Rhodes, can you tell me? Please?”

“This is one of your worst ideas ever. But yes, there’s one just outside the city. You know Newark Airport? Half of it, about four hangars are for that purpose. You’ll know which one, cause Fury will be there to beat your ass. And they have the SHIELD logo. They’re set apart from the airport to, but since they’re never occupied-”

“I get your point.”

“Tony?” Steve and Bucky ran up to him, and Tony retracted his helmet.

“So help me, you little fucker, if you don’t come back I will murder you.”

“What Bucky is trying to say, is that we will kill you if you don’t come back safe.”

“Love you guys.”

“Love you Tones.”

“Love you doll.” Steve kissed Tony’s forehead, and Bucky hugged him, dropping his head to Tony’s shoulder, and whispered in his ear.

“You’ve got to come back. I can’t lose someone else.”

“I promise, I’m coming back.”

Tony turned to the group. “You know the plan, let’s do this. And please, try to neutralize Ultron first, JARVIS is still in there. FRIDAY’s in your suits, she’ll help you. Pete, with me.”

Tony flew into the air, Peter a bit more wobbly, but he rose to meet him. Rhodey jumped at Ultron, and the attack began. Nat had borrowed an extra pair of Peter’s web slingers, and was currently putting them to good use, webbing over the eyes, blocking off sight. Rhodey had activated the cloaking mechanism, and made his suit look like Tony’s, tricking Ultron. Steve and Bucky hacked away at the legs, Stephen flung red strands of magic, and Clint shot arrow after arrow, taking out the guns. Bruce, from the labs, was working with FRIDAY to try and find a way to separate JARVIS effectively. 

Tony flew, Peter at his side, quietly around, and latched onto the back. Tony switched to their private line, connecting the two suits.

“Okay Pete, see this hatch? This is where the locking mechanism is. Disable that, and I’m going to get the missile off it. Then we’re going to fly, as fast as fucking possible. Ready?”

“Yes?” Peter opened the panel, and began twisting wires, KAREN guiding him when he hit a particular circuit whose meaning was unknown. Tony used thin lasers, cutting through metal, well aware of the dangers that could occur. 

“Almost done?”

“Yeah, just hang on, gimme a sec, aaaand done. That should prevent the missile from locking.”

“Great, grab this end.” Peter gulped, and grabbed the back end of the missile.

“I’ve got this side, now on three we’re going to lift it, and haul ass over to Newark. Got it?”

“Yes.”

“Then, one, two, three!” Tony pulled his end, and Peter lifted his, and they rose into the air.

“Now go! Just follow my lead!.” Tony flew, pushing what is probably a safe speed, with Peter following.

It took twenty minutes to get to Newark.

“Do you see the hangar?”

“Yes.”

“And my god, it is Fury. Okay, the top is open, we’re going to lower it down, down, you’re doing great Peter, keep going, keep going, settle it really carefully, and done!”

“Never doing that again.”

“You did great kid.”

“You motherfuckers!”

“Shit. Pete, ready to fly, we should probably get out of here.”

“Already gone!”

“See ya later, love you Nick!”

Tony pushed off, and flew after Peter, back towards the source of all the trouble.

Peter switched back over to the main comm frequency, and blanched, quickly switching back to Tony’s, and, while seeming calm, was panicking inside.

“Tony.”

“Hey, you called me Tony! Thank god, I was feeling so old.”

“Tony, just turn to the main frequency.”

“Okay, you’re worrying me kid.”

Tony flipped over, and strained to make something out over the screams, and oh please god, not crying.

“Tony! Get down here, now.”

“You’re worrying me Barton.”

“Now.”

“Give me one minute.”

Tony sped up, and Peter followed, touching down in the middle of Central Park. He started running, towards the group of huddled Avengers.

“What happened?” Tony saw blood, a glimpse of blond, and-

“Let me through.” The team parted, letting Tony through, who fell to his knees next to Steve, who was crouched over Bucky. Bucky was lying on the ground, face deadly pale. 

“I can’t find a pulse.”


	3. tony accidentally adopted a kid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hmm. im not sure how to feel.
> 
> might write more with this. we'll see.

“Steve, Steve, oh my god, is that his arm?” Bucky’s metal arm had been ripped clean off, wires hanging out of the place where the arm once was.

Steve nodded, and collapsed onto Tony, who retracted his suit, and put one hand in Steve’s hair, and the other over Bucky’s neck, frantically searching for a pulse. A weak one, fluttering, but there. Thank god.

“Someone tell Bruce to get to the med bay in the tower. Now! I found a pulse, but we’ve got to hurry.” Nat ran off, speaking into her comm, but Tony couldn’t hear her. The rushing in his ears drowned everything out.

“Stephen, Stephen please, just portal us there. Please.” Tony’s voice shook and broke, as Stephen nodded, and opened a portal, levitating Bucky, Steve, and Tony through, and pushing everyone else into a separate portal, leading to the living room.

Bruce sprinted into the room. 

“What happened?”

“Bucky got hit, his arm, god Bruce, can you stabilize him?”

“I’ll try.” Bruce ran, and grabbed a IV bag, and started pulling together different things. Stephen walked in, and without a word, went over to help Bruce. Orange tendrils swirled around his shaking hands, and they were whole again, no longer covered in scars and shaking. In the back of Tony’s mind, somewhere where he wasn’t panicking, he made a note to ask Stephen about it later.

“I can’t lose him, not again.” Steve put his forehead on Tony’s shoulder, who reached up and put his arm around him.

“We’re not, he’s going to be okay, he has to be.” Tony reached out, and grabbed Bucky’s hand. “You can’t leave us, you promised Buck. You promised.”

 

After four hours, Stephen and Bucky got Bucky stabilized, while Tony repaired the arm, and attached it back on.

“It’s going to need work, but now he’s got basic function, and motor control. Shuri gave me vibranium, I’ll make him a new arm out of that.” Tony sunk back down next to Steve, now Tony leaning against him.

“Boss?” FRIDAY spoke, sounding tentative.

“Yeah, baby girl?”

“Would you like some good news?”

“Please. We need some.”

“JARVIS has been saved from Ultron, Bruce did some excellent reverse bioengineering, and separated the consciousness. All you need to do to bring him back online is fix a few lines of code. I sent them to the holograms.”

Tony jumped up. “Open them.” One of the currently unoccupied holograms lit up, seemingly gibberish, but they made perfect sense to Tony.

“FRIDAY, this is perfect. I only need to fix the defensive and offensive codes, and upload him to the banks we have downstairs. Just hang on.” Tony flicked the screen, tapped in a few numbers, and shut the hologram down. Steve blinked, Tony had done it so fast, like someone accustomed to dealing with this type of stuff.

“Oh please god, let this work.” Tony took a deep breath. “JARVIS? Are you there?”

“I am sir.” 

“Welcome back JARV.” Tony was trying not to cry, again.

“FRIDAY, introduce yourself.”

“Of course. I’m FRIDAY, the AI Mr. Stark created after the original Ultron battles.”

“JARVIS, be nice to FRIDAY. Teach her. FRIDAY, send JARVIS any new codes and protocols.”

“No sir, I was just going to sit dormant in some servers for awhile.”

“Ah, good to have this back.”

“Boss, the rest of the team is trying to get in.” 

“Um, okay, FRIDAY, update JARV on the new systems added, and patch any info over. Steve, are you alright to let people in?”

Steve stood, and walked over to Tony, putting his arms around his waist. “Yeah, let’s just do it.”

The doors opened, and a flood of teammates came in. Wanda was back from Sokovia, where she was visiting her brother’s grave, and was pissed nobody called her. Nat had told her no one wanted to disrupt her, when she was grieving, and Wanda responding by flipping them all off. 

“How is he?” Natasha walked over to the bed, fingers playing through his hair.

“Stable. It’s up to him when he wakes up. The serum is helping though.” Steve flinched, and looked at Bruce and Stephen.

“You didn’t tell us he’s potentially in a coma!”

“The reading just came through, breathe Steve.”

Tony took one look at Steve, recognized the signs, and looked imploringly at Stephen. Stephen glanced at them, realized what was going on, and opened a portal directly to their bedroom. Tony pulled Steve through, and Stephen shut the portal. 

“Breathe Steve, listen to me, breathe.” Tony sat them down on the bed, and spoke to the room.

“JARV? You there?”

“Would you like me to bring up the old protocols?”

“Yes please.”

Turning back to Steve, he spoke gently, rubbing his shoulders. “JARVIS had protocols to help me. Do you want to try them?”

Steve shook, and nodded.

“Okay, then tell me a happy memory. Anything Stevie. Maybe you and Bucky before the war?”

“We-we shared an apartment.” Steve tried to stop crying but only cried harder.

“Breathe sweetie, you’re doing great.”

“It was after we both go paid, during Christmas. Bu-Buck brought home a huge tree, and we decorated it, there was music, and it was one of the best Christmases I’ve ever had.”

“JARVIS? Can you find that in the old SHIELD databases?”

“Already done.”

“Project it? With audio?”

“Of course.”

JARVIS turned off the lights, shut the shades, and projected a video on a hologram. 

“Stevie, can you look up?”

Steve looked, and sucked in a breath. Projected in the hologram was the Christmas Steve had talked about. Bing Crosby was playing on the radio, and Steve and Bucky were laughing, dancing around the room, decorating the tree, and throwing strands of tinsel at each other.

“Buck, come on, no fair.”

“Punk, it’s not my fault you can’t throw for shit.”

“Fuck you.”

Bucky in the film winked and Steve blushed, and retorted by hanging an ornament from Bucky’s ear.

“Stevie, aren’t I magical.”

“Beautiful, Buck.” Bucky leaned over and kissed Steve’s nose, and went back to decorating, when the video ended.

JARVIS carefully lit the room up.

Steve smiled. “That’s one of my favorite memories. Thank you Tony.”

“JARV used this program to bring me back when I was having panic attacks. It was lost when Ultron happened, but now, I think we can teach the team to do it.”

“I can put a hologram in each room, sir.”

“Perfect.”

Stephen slipped into the room. “Tony, Steve, Bucky will be waking up in about an hour, the serum has done wonders. Would you like me to levitate him into here, so he wakes up with you?”

“Please.”

Stephen opened another portal, and brought Bucky through, putting him on the bed.

“Just so you know, the team is very worried about you. Do you want me to tell them anything?”

“Just tell them we’re okay, and will be out soonish.” Steve stroked Bucky’s hair. 

“Okay, call me or Bruce when he wakes up, we’re gonna have to run more tests.”

“Great, fine.”

Stephen left the room, and Tony flung himself at the bed, dragging Steve with him.

“So help me, there is no way he’s waking up alone. And I’ve got to make a new arm, so Steve, you’re staying with me.”

“Wasn’t planning on leaving.”

“Now,” said Tony, setting back into the cushions beside Bucky. “What do you know about cybernetics?”

 

“How is he?” Natasha jumped down off the counter she was sitting, and approached Stephen. The only sign of her being nervous was her crossed arms, and one slightly tapping finger. 

Instead of responding, Stephen nodded at Bruce, who looked slightly surprised, but started to speak. Stephen made a gesture, and the orange magic flew away from his fingers, and they were the same as before. This time it was Natasha who filed it away as something to ask about later.

“Well, Bucky’s stable. The serum is really, kind of a miracle. He’ll wake up in an hour or so, and will be mostly healed. The arm’s going to be a problem, but if I know Tony, he’s working on it now, and then I’ll help attach it and make sure it’s compatible with Bucky’s brain.”

“So he’ll be okay?” Peter was hanging upside down from the ceiling, and steadily dropping pretzels from the bag he was munching from onto Clint’s head. He had five currently balancing, and Clint hadn’t noticed.

“Yeah Peter, he’ll be okay.”

“Oh good, dad was really worried.” Peter went white, and then red. “Oh shit.”

“No way.” Clint turned to face Peter, and all the pretzels fell off.

“You did not just call Tony dad.” Bruce grinned.

“I knew he’d find a kid one way or another. I bet him twenty bucks he’d get one before he turned fifty. Owes me twenty now.” Rhodey looked extremely self-satisfied.

“What can I do to make you all forget that?”

“Absolutely nothing.”


End file.
